Tonerider Humbuckers - series/parallel or coil split.

[Trevor Davies]

After reading lots on-line about which is better - having a switch for changing a humbucker to series/parallel or coil split, or both?

I will have a Tonerider Buckingham humbucker in a bridge position only. To create greater tonal variations should I have a switch for:

1. changing between series and parallel, or
2. coil splitting to the north slug coil, or
3. coil splitting/tapping using a resistor (2.2k!) from the end wires to ground.

Has anyone on the forum tried any of these, or have any suggestions?

[fender3x]

Most of my experience has been with bass humbuckers, so please take that into account! I have a bass wired to do series, parallel. I can also activate or de-activate each coil on each pickup. I also have a guitar wired to do standard humbucking, single coil (both S) or single coil (N-S "humbucking")

On both bass and guitar the biggest difference has been single coil/series. On the guitar, there is a very subtle difference in sound between SS and NS single coil settings. I don't really notice a difference in humbucking, so if it's there that's subtle too.

On the bass I have never really used the parallel setting. To my ear it sounds almost the same as series, but quieter, or just thinner, but not really like a single coil, so I didn't bother with it on the guitar.

The resistor idea is interesting, and worth experimenting with. I have never tried it, but I saw a guy on Youtube who did sort coil-split-varitone switch. Based on his results, I don't think I'd do the varitone...but I'd seriously consider the 2.2K resistor. Maybe with a switch to go full HB-2.2K-SC?






Not sure I understand what setting 2 is? Is that switching coils? I haven't tried it on a humbucker like yours. I have only done it on rail pickups and on G&L MFD humbuckers that have screws on both coils. On the ones I have tried the difference is not audible...but that is probably different on a pup with a slug on one side and screws on the other...if that's what you have in mind?

[Trevor Davies]

Thanks fender3x for your suggestions and wisdom.

My option 2 was straight from the Tonerider humbucker info sheet, which recommends the bridge coil split should use the slug coil.

After seeing the coil splitting with multiple resistors video, I think I might give it a go. This will allow for a full coil split plus a range of partial coil taps. I could use another rotary switch! I may not like all the tones, but I like the idea that it offers a range of tones.

I think I have a winner

[fender3x]

I have never done it, but I have seen people replace their tone control with a varitone. It makes a certain amount of sense to me to have preset tone settings that you like so you don't have to fiddle around trying to get them with a pot. Keeps things simple and quick to set.

Some years ago I modded the tone circuit on my G&L bass to get just about every passive pickup tone that it was able to produce. In the end it had 4 pots, 3 three-way switches and 4 two way switches. In my garage by myself this gives me a lot of options. But live it takes too long to get things dialed in, so I generally just set it one way and then only adjust the volume. It's how I came to see the value of simple, intuitive controls.

[Trevor Davies]

I like the idea that you have a bass that has every possible tone option! And that you were brave enough to give it a go. Finding out what tones you like is important. It must also help you decide what you want in future builds.

I normally only do the standard type of wiring, since I like the KISS principle. The less controls the better for me. My scratch pine explorer from 1992 only has a bridge humbucker with a vol and tone. I thought I was being adventurous with the "3-way import with high cut" on the tele bass! Having the Varitone (and coil tapping) circuits will make this guitar my tester. I'm sure that they will be dialed in to 1 setting, or not used!! But it will be a learning experience!

[fender3x]

I don't think I did it so much out of bravery so much as out of indecisiveness. Lots of people do a coil cut on G&L basses. One question was whether to inner or outer coil cuts. I couldn't decide which I wanted to figured out a way to do both. There's also a question about whether to add a cap that emphasizes bass frequencies on the serial setting. I added a hidden switches to put them in or take them out. But what if single coil can't keep up with serial humbuckers...so I added concentric volume pots to replace the single volume control...and it just went on like that until I had added pretty much every passive mod I had seen anyone do.

It's exactly like you said, though, as a learning experience. I only actually use two or three settings. Less when I have played it out. But I did figure out what made sense to do and what produced either unusable sounds or such subtle differences that they are not worth doing. I am not sorry I did it, but like a lot of learning experiences I wouldn't do it again.

It also made me appreciate my p-bass more. One pickup. One volume. One tone. It only has a couple of distinct sounds, but they both good and easy to dial in.